[COM] Rundle Mall Redevelopment | $30m

[[Shuz]]

Even monorail cat thinks monorail idea is stupid.

[Pants]

even re-reading this articel I am still dumbfounded at the stupidity of the plan.

What's stupid about it?

De-cluttering the mall and activating laneways with the vendors/cafes that are currently in the middle - can't see anything wrong with that.

$30m for a canopy, paving, landscaping and furniture sounds steep, but aside from that, the plan sounds fine.

[Ben]

There are no plans to activate laneways from what I have seen. Only concepts. Landscaping /paving simply will not bring extra people to the mall. This is so shortsighted if people honestly think the pavers are the problem.

[crawf]

Personally I like the plan. Rundle Mall desperately needs a modern overhaul with things like new pavers and better lighting. Because at the moment our main retail precinct is starting to lag the rest of the nation after city malls right across the country have been given multi-million dollar makeovers. Rundle Mall is such a big asset to Adelaide, it just needs a new lease of life.

Hopefully the redevelopment will encourage owners to revamp their shopfronts as some of them do look quite dingy and don't belong in a place like Rundle Mall. The only thing I dislike about the plan is having no kiosks and relocating the Malls Balls and Pigs.

BTW I'm pretty sure the Laneway Activation was going to go ahead after Rundle Mall has been redeveloped. I agree that part definitely needs to happen ASAP.

[Waewick]

what is it about pavers and making something look modern?

[Just build it]

When the laneways are alive after dark with colour, light and noise (safe) the mall will be activated by default. Maybe then they could worry about the burning issues of installing new bitumen coloured pavers, moving the balls slightly sideways and kicking the flower stall out.

[Wayno]

When the laneways are alive after dark with colour, light and noise (safe) the mall will be activated by default. Maybe then they could worry about the burning issues of installing new bitumen coloured pavers, moving the balls slightly sideways and kicking the flower stall out.

yep this is my thinking as well. Screw the pavers - activate the laneways first!

[Omicron]

The masterplan itself is still a good one. I had a quick browse through the website to remind myself of its aims, and I do like all-encompassing plans that replace lights, poles, seats, planter boxes, pavers etc. all at the same time for consistency and cohesiveness. The revitalisation of upstairs and side-lanes is still a huge factor in Rundle Mall's success, though - many falling-down old buildings being held up by the shop underneath.

I have no idea how half the shops in Rundle Mall make enough revenue to pay their rent, though.

[Matt]

Has there been anything released with specific details of exactly what this stage of the upgrade involves?

If it's merely new pavers (AGAIN) and relocating the balls, pigs and kiosks, I'm not sure whether it was worth the fanfare.

[Nort]

Walked through Rundle Mall around 7.30 last night, the only real activity in the mall was people eating at the restaurant kiosk.

[Stefan]

Rundle mall needs more resturants and cafes. They are what will bring people into the mall day and night. People need a place to eat and drink. Just take a look at European cities and their malls. They have cafes right through the middle, from top to bottom and the night life is nothing like any city in Australia has. Include some down gawler place, james place and charles st and lead onto north terrace. Bring life into the city, young and old. AND KEEP CAR PARKS OFF NORTH TERRACE OPEN 24 HOURS! Its so hard to find just off the mall after 9 unless you park down by the uni, river or around the squares which are a far walk from say the myer centre.

[[Shuz]]

When the ACC says that they want to relocate the two restaurants and kiosks elsewhere in the mall, I presume they mean for them to occupy a building/tenancy just like everyone else? I think they'll find the rents and costs a bit more expensive in a shared building (strata, maintenance, etc) as opposed to the standalone structures. This could jeopardise the viability of those businesses?

[Waewick]

question is where are they going to relocate them to? a laneway?

don't forget that some of the reason people use them is their openess - something that will be lost in a conventional building.

[Maximus]

When the ACC says that they want to relocate the two restaurants and kiosks elsewhere in the mall, I presume they mean for them to occupy a building/tenancy just like everyone else? I think they'll find the rents and costs a bit more expensive in a shared building (strata, maintenance, etc) as opposed to the standalone structures. This could jeopardise the viability of those businesses?

question is where are they going to relocate them to? a laneway?

don't forget that some of the reason people use them is their openess - something that will be lost in a conventional building.

I'd wondered this, too. Nevertheless, at least one of the restaurant owners has expressed support:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6428977502

Stage one of the project is set to commence early next year and includes plans to relocate five businesses, including Briccone's cafe, in the centre of the mall to create more space.

Briccone's cafe owner Marcel Ruggieri welcomed the new plans and said the short-term disruption they would suffer during the relocation would be worthwhile.

"It should have been done 10 years ago but we are here now," he said.

"The public needs to embrace the plans because there will be a lot of opportunities and change in the mall."

Does that first sentence sound like maybe all the relocated businesses will still be in the middle of the mall, it's just that they'll be altogether in one spot...?

Also, at least one of the stall owners is definitely not happy:

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/rundle-ma ... 6426181896

[[Shuz]]

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/sout ... 6428977502
Stage one of the project is set to commence early next year and includes plans to relocate five businesses, including Briccone's cafe, in the centre of the mall to create more space.

I think what they meant by centre of the mall, is that they are in the centre/middle of the mall walkway. Not that they will be relocating to the the centre of the mall, as in where Gawler Place, or wherever the halfway point of the Mall between King William Street and Pulteney Street is. That would be kind of defeating the purpose in the first place.

Also, if the ACC's intention is for those businesses to relocate into the laneways, again, that kind of defeats the purpose, seeing as they have withdrawn their commitment to upgrade the laneways. Those business wouldn't be very happy about that, and they stand to lose a lot of exposure and revenue if they were redirected to the sidestreets as opposed to what they would get currently being smack bang in the middle of the mall.

Or is it a case of, move them into a laneway, and the people will follow? Truth be told, none of those businesses are really a standout brand, so I think they have a lot more to lose then gain. It's not like putting an Apple Store anywhere and people will go crazy to visit it, no matter where it is or how hard it is to get there.